White House Official Brushes Off Senator McCain as 'Dying Anyway', Cindy McCain Lashes Back

A White House staffer made a terrible and cruel joke about Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.). The joke was that the senator's opinions doesn't really matter because he's dying. McCain, who is 81 years old, is suffering from brain cancer.

It's hard to imagine that anyone, regardless of party, would think the joke funny. The senator's wife certainly didn't find it funny and called out the person who made the joke.

McCain's name came up at meeting on Thursday in the White House regarding CIA director nominee Gina Haspel. McCain was opposed to the nomination, to which White House aide Kelly Sadler said, "He's dying anyway."

A source who witnessed the incident told Jim Acosta of CNN that the lame attempt at humor 'fell flat' in the room.

Both major parties are arguing over Haspel's nomination with good reason. She was involved in a now-defunct program with the CIA that involved torture. She also refuses to say that she believes torture is wrong. However, the slam at McCain was nothing short of disrespectful, both of the senator, as well as of his family.

McCain, who has been a member of the senate for 30 years now, was himself a prisoner of war. His plane was shot down in a bombing mission over North Vietnam. He survived the crash, but fractured both arms and legs. He was parachuted into a lake and nearly drowned, and was then captured by the enemy. They crushed his shoulder, and transferred him to the notorious POW camp dubbed the 'Hanoi Hilton'.

McCain was beaten, interrogated and tortured. It was a miracle he survived. He remained in captive for more than five years and he is considered a war hero.

McCain was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor in 2017 and underwent surgery. This is not McCain's first bout with cancer; he survived melanoma. But due to the treatments and the aggressive nature of his current condition, he's taken a reduced roll in the senate. He's not planning to run for reelection.

While McCain was never one to keep his opinion silent and he's never been shy about challenging members of his party, the fact that he won't be running for re-election has left the long-time conservative free to take an even more hardline stance against President Donald Trump.

The Trump administration has often complained that McCain is an obstacle working against his own party’s best interests.

After Sadler made the incredibly insensitive comment, McCain’s wife, Cindy, shot back. “May I remind you my husband has a family, 7 children and 5 grandchildren,” she said on Twitter.

According to CNN, Sadler called Cindy and John McCain's daughter, Meghan McCain, who is a host on 'The View'. She apologized for her remarks about her father. No word yet on whether Sadler has reached out to Cindy McCain.

This isn't the first time Mrs. McCain has spoken in her husband's defense. Considering Sen. McCain considers himself a 'maverick', he often gets criticism from people on both sides of the political aisle.

Earlier on Thursday, Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney appeared on Fox Business Network to champion torture as an effective method of extracting information.

“The fact is... it worked on John [McCain],” he said. "That’s why they call him ‘Songbird John.’"

Cindy tweeted to the show and host, "Please choose your guest more wisely."